1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Wedding Band. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
This play takes place in a city in South Carolina in 1918. It starts on a warm summer day.with many different characters. These characters include Julia, Herman, her neighbors Lula, Fanny, Mattie, and Mattie’s daughter, Teeta, Princess, a white child that Mattie takes care of.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? NOTE: Arguments might be made for several different points where stasis is broken. Be prepared to defend your point of view, if different from other students.
The intrusion in this play would have to be the scene where Herman visits Julia's house while he is sick. Multiple instances of drama and diversity occur throughout and after this scene. After his arrival, Herman passes out from his illness, yet his family won't help him because he would be seen with a girl of color. This shows the audience how intense the racial tension actually was during the time in which this was set.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
The unique factor is that Julia and Herman want to get married, even though they live in a time where laws and society would not allow that. Another unique factor is Herman's influenza.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic questions in this play include:
"Will Herman survive his sickness?"
"Will Julia and Hermans relationship stay strong through the racism?"
5. Use Julia to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual or individuals, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles in the play.
Julia struggles with two main obstacles that counter each other at the beginning of the play. She wants to fit in with the people around her, but she also wants to marry Herman. Staying in the relationship with Herman puts Julia in a spot of solitude. This problem is made worse by the fact that she still is not able to marry Herman because of the laws in the state.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Wedding Band.
Some theatrical moments include Herman falling ill, Julia's argument with Annabelle, and Julia's argument with Freida. Each of these moments creates dramatic action and allows the play to continue. For example, Herman's sickness changed the dynamic of the play and Julia's outlook on their marriage.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Wedding Band. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
First the wedding band. This represents the love that Julia and Herman have, but it also represents their inability to marry.
Next is the ferry boat. This is Julia's attempt to see a happier future for their horrible situation.
Last is the quarter. This symbolizes the difficult times of the war.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Wedding Band.
Segragation
Social Isolation
Marriage
Forbidden Love
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Wedding Band? Perhaps you might argue for several different kinds of family in this particular play. What do you think?
The family aspect of this play allows for many instances of dramatic action. The family of Herman is shown to be racist, and they seem to care more about their social appearance than their own son. Julia's family/friends are not too much better, they shun her for loving a white man.
Austin Thistleton
1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Wedding Band. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
This play takes place in a city in South Carolina in 1918. It starts on a warm summer day.with many different characters. These characters include Julia, Herman, her neighbors Lula, Fanny, Mattie, and Mattie’s daughter, Teeta, Princess, a white child that Mattie takes care of.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? NOTE: Arguments might be made for several different points where stasis is broken. Be prepared to defend your point of view, if different from other students.
The intrusion in this play would have to be the scene where Herman visits Julia's house while he is sick. Multiple instances of drama and diversity occur throughout and after this scene. After his arrival, Herman passes out from his illness, yet his family won't help him because he would be seen with a girl of color. This shows the audience how intense the racial tension actually was during the time in which this was set.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
The unique factor is that Julia and Herman want to get married, even though they live in a time where laws and society would not allow that. Another unique factor is Herman's influenza.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic questions in this play include:
"Will Herman survive his sickness?"
"Will Julia and Hermans relationship stay strong through the racism?"
5. Use Julia to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual or individuals, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles in the play.
Julia struggles with two main obstacles that counter each other at the beginning of the play. She wants to fit in with the people around her, but she also wants to marry Herman. Staying in the relationship with Herman puts Julia in a spot of solitude. This problem is made worse by the fact that she still is not able to marry Herman because of the laws in the state.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Wedding Band.
Some theatrical moments include Herman falling ill, Julia's argument with Annabelle, and Julia's argument with Freida. Each of these moments creates dramatic action and allows the play to continue. For example, Herman's sickness changed the dynamic of the play and Julia's outlook on their marriage.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Wedding Band. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
First the wedding band. This represents the love that Julia and Herman have, but it also represents their inability to marry.
Next is the ferry boat. This is Julia's attempt to see a happier future for their horrible situation.
Last is the quarter. This symbolizes the difficult times of the war.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Wedding Band.
Segragation
Social Isolation
Marriage
Forbidden Love
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Wedding Band? Perhaps you might argue for several different kinds of family in this particular play. What do you think?
The family aspect of this play allows for many instances of dramatic action. The family of Herman is shown to be racist, and they seem to care more about their social appearance than their own son. Julia's family/friends are not too much better, they shun her for loving a white man.